3 B.C. Interior communities break daily heat records

A file photo shows the sun beaming in British Columbia.

As an atmospheric river drenched B.C.’s South Coast on Thursday, long‑standing heat records fell in parts of the Interior.

Environment and Climate Change Canada says Kamloops, Summerland and Vernon each set new daily maximum temperature records for March 19, in a weather summary issued Friday.

Summerland’s temperature reached 19.5 C on Tuesday, breaking a 98-year-old daily maximum temperature record set in 1928.

In Kamloops, the temperature reached 21.2 C, edging past the 21.1 C mark set in 1947.

Vernon hit 18.6 C, beating the 18.3 C record set just last year.

The agency notes records in those areas date back to 1890 for Kamloops, 1900 for Vernon and 1907 for Summerland.

ECCC cautions the figures may contain preliminary or unofficial information and is pending final verification.

Interior warmth vs. South Coast deluge

The Interior warmth arrived as the South Coast grappled with a prolonged atmospheric river that brought heavy rain and flood‑related advisories from mid‑week into Friday, with rainfall warnings and flood watches in effect for parts of Metro Vancouver, the Sea‑to‑Sky region and Vancouver Island.

Environment Canada and B.C.’s River Forecast Centre said the episode would ease heading into the weekend, but urged caution around swollen streams, saturated slopes and localized flooding where the heaviest rain fell.